Sardana Creations

Premiere

I didn't imagine HOW exciting will the shop opening be! I was almost 7 weeks abroad and I am very grateful to the ex-owner for her patience and waiting for me. I got the key last Thursday and haven't got time to realise everything yet. I was too busy - in its former life it was an organic food shop/cafeteria and the cleaning/painting part took so long. Yesterday I moved in with all my fabrics, notions, papeterie and books. It IS the perfect craft place now!My daughter was the best help I could imagine, and she'd love to help me selling there! I love you, ML!

I was lucky enough to get a shop with all its displays and other furniture so I hadn't have to invest anything on this side of outgoings. Moreover, I've got so much encouragement from my friends (as if they'd prefer to see me still here than abroad)!

There is one thing I haven't decided yet - how to name my shop??????? I sell my own creations there, my label is Sardana Creations, Handmade In Austria. Since I support my friends and other crafters and take their creations on commissional basis I need an other name for my shop. Hmmm, that's what I haven't decided yet.

There are some pictures of the beginning of the next great adventure:

The former shop-owner can't take her furniture so I'll have to improvise (see on next pictures):

 

After painting & cleaning:

 

 

 

After moving in (my creative space):

 

The right side of my shop:

Cotton trims made in Hall/Tyrolia:

Prototypes sale:

The beginning: handmade accessories made from beads and mammoth's tusk:

Choose your fabric for pouches & bags + tissue huggers from my friend from Germany:

 

My desk there which I'm thinking to replace with a bigger one from home:

I need baskets here (oh! An idea: I'll sew them!):

 

More will follow.

Thanks for reading!

 

Today I feel like blogging...

Just read my old posts and couldn't believe how many changes happened in my life since I started blogging.

:: I'm organising Yakut Ysyakh, it's going to be the 2nd in Austria. I started to work on it in January, and didn't even think which dimensions it will get. We had 30 guests last year and 60-70 are expected this summer. My countrypeople from everywhere, even from Burkina Faso (!), some from Department of Sakha (kind of Sakha Embassy in Russia), Sakha government, entertainer from Yakutsk, etc. Calm down - my mantra for the next months. I found a beautiful place to celebrate Ysyakh, but the most difficult issue is getting visas for guests from Yakutia.

:: I was in Brussels in February, to meet our first President (of Republik Sakha), Mr. M. Nikolaev, he is #4 in the Russian government now. Ahem, he didn't come because of me over there, he just wanted to meet Sakha expats from Europe. So we were 20 there, I learned a whole lot wonderful people to know, they were from Estonia, Sweden, Sankt Petersburgh, Belgium, France, Germany and Austria. Mr. Nikolaev, me and a lady from Belgium are founder of a new organisation which is for Sakha expats in Europe (though that's anyway what I'm working for on my own, I just founded an association 2006).

:: I quit my part time job to became a full time crafter. I mean who needs mansions and hotels at the recession time? I used to sell them in Salzburg and Upper Austria. I don't regret this time, not at all. Got so many beautiful places to see, new connections and met very interesting people.

:: I sell my items in several shops here in Salzburg. Started to list on Etsy not long time ago. Stopped listings on DaWanda since they installed pretty difficult new rules for sellers. Land-based boutiques are running good, DaWanda is died, and Etsy? Oh well, it goes pretty slowly. No panic, Watson!

:: Of course it's pretty weird to give my items for wholesale, but I'm SO undecided regarding going-abroad-issue. To leave or not to leave? Or, better, to leave now or later? I've got a very interesting offer, to open my own shop in Salzburg. On one side I would like to start yesterday, on the other it would mean to stay here for another few years. We'll see, maybe I get what I want (I would like to be as flexible as possible (does it make any sense?), which means rental agreement I'm kind of fighting for, to my conditions.  

:: Got an offer for a book, ridiculously called From Pupil To Craft Queen (it's not my title!). Imagine my laughing hearable within a radius of 5 km. I was very polite and said NO, THANKS. I still have a whole lot to learn.

:: Started new promo campaign in Yakutia. I can survive it when people recognize me, anyway, it only happens once a year when I get over there. Haha, I'm a little twinkle star there. On one side it's still pretty embarrassing for me, on the other it helps immense to get funds for my social projects, so I have to live with it.

:: Didn't decide yet if I'd like to continue to blog on Typepad or switch to Blogspot, should make a pro and contra list. Deadline: someday in May.

That's a little bit about my life. Thanks for reading.     

39 Random Things About Me...

Can you remember on this game on Flickr? I changed it into '39 Things...' because I turned 39 today (last year before 40!!!). So here you are:

1. I love Flickr. I can't imagine how did I live without it before. I met so many wonderful people there!

2. I love chocolate.

3. I'm fabric-addicted.

4. Felt down and trod on a rake as I was 6, it was the worst pain of my life.

5. Moved to Austria as I was 22.

6. I speak 4 languages (Sakha, Russian, German and English).

7. I felt in love for the first time as I was 10 and loved him until I was 20.

8. I stole the only one time in my life as I was 4 or 5, it was an eye shadow, and it was really embarrassing.

9. I started to crochet yesterday.

10. My parents gave me to the piano class, but I didn't feel like learning, so I went to the library instead. Of course they found it out and signed me off at the music school.

11. I love reading books, the last book I read was The Google History and now is Ingvar Kamprad's IKEA's Secrets in the queue.  

12. I also love watching DVDs, I do that nearly every night. The last one was The Requiem For A Dream. Absolutely worth seeing!

13. Discovered photography not long time ago, I desperately need to take a course.Or to hire as assistant some day.

14. I'll take part in my first market fair ever this summer and autumn, it's called Salzach Galerien.

15. Don't like people who do only endless discuss.

16. I gave my first interview for a magazine four years ago.

17. My first interview for a TV station was last April, and I totally messed it up.

18. Can't take a speech, it's the worst horror for me!

19. I can't lie.

20. I'm dying for Adam Levine (I mean as long as there is nobody in flesh to die for, it's forgivable, isn't it).

21. I don't know what to do with cats, I prefer dogs.

22. I need too many time for plans, sometimes I think just go for it!

23. Working from home is the most difficult experience I've made so far. I still have to learn to manage my time.

24. I'm not in love at the moment.

25. Learned to pronounce Russian R correctly as I was 7.

26. Started to stutter as I was 4, I just imitated a boy in my kindergarten. I remember how desperated was my Mom. I went thru lots of different therapy methods and was healed within one year. 

27. Learned to swim one and a half years ago.

28. I can't live without newest gadgets like iPhone, iPod, Sony PSP, etc.

29. I love shopping.

30. I don't own a credit card, I honestly can't imagine making purchases and living on credit, my bank account is never on the minus side. So proud of it :)

31. I'd love to open my own shop, dunno where.

32. I love everything vintage.

33. I'm way too lazy to blog though let's see, maybe it'll change one day.

34. I've got pollen allergy.

35. I can't stand pessimists and endless moaning.

36. I don't feel comfy with giving my real name and address in the internet.

37. My Mom and Dad got two university degrees each, and I didn't even finish one.

38. I love the spring time.

39. Everything I do I do with passion, and I don't regret anything.

 

First labels

I got my first labels!! It gives the feeling now it's 'official'. I wanted to celebrate this 'significant event', and started to sew pouches for all my friends in Yakutsk. Why Yakutsk? Because a countrywoman was on a visit here in Salzburg and could take them with her. She left Salzburg already. And I didn't get them done before her flight. I'm not sad at all. Let's check plusses:

+ it was a fun to develope pattern as first, I needed three pouches before I got the 'perfect shape',
+ even more fun was getting fabrics together, combine, dismiss - just playing around,
+ learning by doing: I can say now, I hit the zip secret (after breaking the bobbin not long time ago),
+ got more ideas for further projects,
+ my own style comes to shine,
+ now I'm ready to start to create more.

 

It's a lot, isn't it? I decided to put all pouches in my Etsy and sew the same again for my friends (as long as I have the fabrics, by the way). Finally I'll get home this summer, so I'll take them with me. I buy fabrics mostly on my travels, therefore cannot carry whole bolts, LOL! So my collection will always be 'limited edition'. Take your chance! Just visit my shop :)

Tyrolean trims

Tyrolean trims
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It was on a Saturday, and I went to the hobby shop to buy some trims. I wanted to get the same as I bought weeks ago there. Unfortunatelly, they were sold out. Wondering I asked the owner whom I know for 5 years if there is a chance to order them again. He won't, he told, because they won't be produced anymore. He suggested me a good price if I take them all. So here I am now. Wonderful, mostly Tyrolean trims. Cotton, jacquard, linen. Explosive colours like the life...
I'm undecided if I should sell bits of them, or keep for my own projects. Please help me!
If someone would like to purchase small quantities, please let me know, and I'll place a custom order for you on my Etsy.
Feel free to send an email, or write a comment.
Thank you.

2008: A Year In Pictures

2008: A Year In Pictures
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I'm back from hibernation! Maybe I'll blog regularly, maybe not, we'll see. I just wanted to start new year with a tiny review, A Year In Pictures. Enjoy!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

HAPPY NEW YEAR
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to my family and all my friends and readers!

Love

Love
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She tried to sew two bags as I was in Germany. One for her, one for me. It's increadible but true, I did the same as I was at her age. My project was an overall for my little sister, made out of Dad's trousers :) I can't exactly remember what my Mom said, anyway, she taught me how to sew since then. Now I'll start to teach her. Fantastic!
Look how talented she is! She even sewed her monograms!

Crafting 365/14

Crafting 365/14
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At long last so called flight bag, for my passport, boarding pass and money pocket. I was looking for something similar for ages. Then I gave it up and made by myself.
So happy!

German Expedition: Berlin, Leipzig, Dresden, Hamburg & Bremen

German Expedition: Dresden
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Hello dear readers, and sorry, it's been a while since my last post. I've spent most interesting, exciting and wonderful time of my life, on an expedition to ethnographical museums in Germany where Yakut treasures are kept. I feel so proud to being a part of the history......
Nevertheless, I want to tell you about a fleamarket in Dresden because the story of the expedition is going to be told separately. Everything is good in its season.
So why this one fleamarket? Well, it touched my heart. It is celebrated every Saturday on the Elbe river, Albertbrücke (S-Bahn #6, the station is called Sachsenallee). Please have a look at the stand of Benjamin Sweeney. You'll discover it right away because he's got most wonderful treasures of the whole fleamarket. You'll see it, no doubt! I felt like lost in love, and I really regret because I didn't buy this clock. It's from Laurens Hammond, an engineer and inventor, the father of electric organ. Wonderful design. Unique graphic. I hope it's not already away.
Please check also Benjamin Sweeney's shop on the Schönfelder Strasse/Ecke Prießnitzstr. in Dresden. More pictures as always on my Flickr.

Shopping trip to Cologne, Germany

Shopping trip to Cologne, Germany
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I was almost one week in Cologne, because of a huge craft fair there. I didn't expect anything, nothing at all. Within four hours I went out with 24 different fabric designs, stamps, ribbons, beads, buttons and other making every crafter crazy supplies. More pictures on my Flickr, by the way.

Oh! I felt like on heaven! Imagine only 1 (one) craft shop in your town and being there, on the biggest craft fair in Germany, I mean, there is no need for further explains!

The goal - shopping - was consequently continued, and I ended up in Dusseldorf. The trip was dedicated to japanese stores. I've heard there is the biggest japanese community in Germany. And yes, there are two stores with magazines, books and stationery and three grocery shops. I found everything I wanted, bento supplies, craft books and stationery. Left money at Habitat and Muji and went back to Cologne, to the hick town in forty-minutes-distance. I even found some porcellain and pottery on a fleamarket on my last day there, Sunday.

With excess luggage I headed up to the airport Cologne/Bonn on Monday and.......missed my flight! The lady at TUIfly told me the next machine to Salzburg will be on the next day, Tuesday. Of course I wanted to get home on the same day. So I took the longest train travel of my life. From Cologne to Koblenz, Frankfurt/Main, Wuerzburg, Nurenberg, Munich, Traunstein. The German Rail told us we should take a bus to get to Freilassing and from there to Salzburg, main station, I thought not me and ordered my corporate taxi. Another 30 minutes, and I was home at long last! I never forget this trip.

I took pictures and wrote a diary, something like My adventures thru Germany (pics are uploaded on my Flickr, as always) but hey, I'd rather be too early than travel again that long. The next possibility is on the day after tomorrow, I'm heading up to Germany again.

I'll spend two weeks in Berlin, Leipzig, Dresden and Hamburg. Very interesting project, I'll tell you later. 

Mail from a friend in Japan

Mail from a friend in Japan
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FedEx was waiting for me for two days till I was back from Vienna, and I got this on Friday from a friend of mine who lives in Japan. Many, many thanks, S.! As always, you made my day :)))

Mail from a friend in Japan
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Camera bag

Camera bag
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Project #4: camera pouch. The linen is from Japan. Love parisienne theme! The button is from my vintage finds from church flea market last Friday. As I saw it it whispered, that's the place I've always dreamed of.

Well, I can sew though clothes only. Or curtains. I've never sewn bags with lining, only simpliest ones. Can you imagine my sadness as I cut wrong! As it was turned out! I didn't check if it's the back or the front side! OMG! Never make the same mistakes!

Anyway, after unlucky cut I had to tear all seams and replace back with the front side. Now my button becamed better place, near the Eiffel Tower :) See the picture above.

After hours of figuring out how to sew such a pouch (I was sure I'll figure it out without help!) and brainless cuts ...... tadadada.... my first baby! My camera became cosy house!

The adventures of sewing pupil. To be continued.

Card case

Card case
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The 3rd project was business card case. Linen from Austria, vintage lace, japanese ribbon and a beautiful vintage button from my stash. That was more challenging. My 1st experience with interlining from Fuse2face or something like that. Though I didn’t iron it on the fabric. Hope that’s not a crime.

The adventures of sewing pupil

My creations
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I’ve been travelling and hunting on flea markets since a month, and crafting, well, crafting got a bit forgotten. I missed it really. I decided to start with tiny projects since I have long way to go, I mean I have to practice and practice to get better.

First half-an-hour projects this Tuesday were covers for my black card cases. It's really easy-peasy :) I don’t swear anymore looking for black cases in my black bags. Apart from that it gave me the idea for a book cover. We’ll talk about it next time.

The cherry blossom cotton fabric is from a private swap from Denmark. The lace print is from Japan. Just perfect to iron, by the way. I'm wondering how it's been made.

Crafting 365/10

Crafting 365/10
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It's been a while since I created anything. Time to continue crafting...

It could be called Making Tags, Day 1. I'm trying out different possibilities and started with embroidered ones. That's quite easy method. All you need is transfer pencil, transparent paper, needle, floss, fabric and a hoop. I think I'll take double-sided vliesofix, iron on them, then cut stripes to attach on my creations.

German magazines

German magazines
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I found at long last German craft magazines! The first one, Creative at home, is a bit Marie-Claire-Idees-like. Same good quality paper. Concerning the content, well, it's not that bad. I'm looking forward for further issues.
The second one, Living & more - sorry, guys, nothing for me.

Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich

Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich
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My trip to Munich last weekend. I met there a countrywoman of me who lives in France. We spent wonderful day. Went to the Alte Pinakothek and Pinakothek der Moderne. More pictures are as always on my Flickr.

I wanted to buy some fabrics but didn't have time for shopping. Though it's not the end of the world. I'll fly to Cologne soon. To the huge creative trade fair. I've never been there but I've heard it should be really gigantic. Maybe I'll be able to do short trip to Dusseldorf as well, we'll see.

Mail from Japan

Mail from Japan
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My first order in Japan. I couldn't resist. To be continued.